IOC mocks denials about U.S. drug use

By Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published September 27, 2000

SYDNEY, Australia -- Top IOC officials ridiculed the doping defense of world shot put champion C.J. Hunter and accused the United States of being in a "state of denial" about the problem of performance-enhancing drugs.

Hunter -- husband of 100-meter champion Marion Jones -- was using the "usual excuse" by blaming nutritional supplements, said Dick Pound, vice president of the International Olympic Committee, and Jacques Rogge, an executive board member.

"This is the usual thing," Pound said. "Athletes always say, "It's not possible,' followed by, "There must be some mistake in the sample,' followed by, "I must have got it from the toilet seat,' followed by, "Here's a (lawsuit) for $12-million from my lawyer.'

"It's a very classic profile."

Hunter tested positive for the steroid nandrolone in four separate tests in Europe this summer, the drug chief for the International Amateur Athletics Federation said.

"This appears to confirm that he has been ingesting a banned substance over a period of time," said Arne Ljungqvist, chairman of the IAAF's medical commission. Charlie Wells, Hunter's agent, declined to respond to the IOC officials' statements.

"I have no comment on that," he said. "We're moving on."

Hunter, choking back tears at a news conference, said he would have never knowingly taken banned substances. He and his nutritionist, Victor Conte, said the positive tests were the result of nutritional supplements.

Ljungqvist said he believed Hunter may have been taking 19-norandrostenediol and 19-norandrostenedione, banned steroids that produce nandrolone in the body.

"He could well be one of the cases who has been taking food supplements containing these precursors," he said.

Under IAAF and IOC rules, an athlete is responsible for whatever substance is found in his body, regardless of how it got there.

Ljungqvist said the IAAF, after being notified of the positive Oslo test, told U.S. officials to investigate and report back with an explanation. He said the U.S. reply was judged "unacceptable."

USA Track & Field has never said Hunter was suspended.

Craig Masback, executive director of the U.S. federation, declined to comment on virtually all issues related to the case.

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